Gods of the Steppe

In the time before man, when the first darkness receded from the world, in the light of the dawn of creation Mother Black Earth looked up and beheld Father Blue Sky, and invited him down to meet her. Where Father Blue Sky touched upon Mother Black Earth, she made a bed for them to share, broad and flat, gently rolling up into mighty mountains to guard them all around, and there in the first steppe they lay together, and unto them were born three sons: Ezen Yalzarsan, the Vulture God; Ezen Ayangakhol, the Horse God; and Ezen Orgonmor, the Yak God. Then, leaving the land and sky to their children, they turned away from the world, and none know where they have gone.

Ezen Orgonmor, Yak Lord of Bounty and Wealth

Youngest of the children of Mother Black Earth and Father Blue Sky, Ezen Orgonmor is a good-humoured god of plenty and fertility, concerned with growth of herd and tribe. He favours those who raise and trade animals, especially the yak, and his aspect is often horned of brow and shaggy-haired, with broad shoulders. Progenitor to the Altansureg, who are distant cousins to the Tasir, long ago Ezen Orgonmor led his followers beyond the known reaches of the steppe, seeking more fertile lands and peace from the depredations of the twisted servants of the Leech.

Ezen Ayangakhol, Horse Lord of War and Travel

Middle child of Mother Black Earth and Father Blue Sky, the Horse God once watched over the steppe with his two brothers. Now he has fallen victim of the Leech's Kiss, and endures as the mere husk of a god, filled only with hunger for the divine blood of his brothers, and all others who stand in his way. He is the progenitor of the Tsusantuurai, who are now all as twisted as he.

Mother Black Earth and Father Blue Sky

Though the progenitors of the Gods of the Steppe, Mother Black Earth and Father Blue Sky are gone from the world, and not even their children know where they have vanished to. Perhaps they sleep beneath the earth, or among the peaks of the high mountains that ring the steppes like jagged walls.

The Sacred Beasts

Once, the People of the Eastern Shore were all one people, and worshipped the animal spirits that dwelt upon the land around them. Then came the Terrestrial and Celestial gods, and those who would not follow them were first mocked, then shunned, then warred upon. Now the domain of the followers of the Divine Court stretches to its natural boundaries, and those who practice the original, untouched culture of the land have been pushed beyond the mountains in the north, where they continue to worship the spirits that may be found around them. Among them there now appear four mighty guardian beasts, masters of the lands to which the People have been pushed, elder siblings to the spirits who answered prayers while the gods of the south waged their Primordial War. Now these Sacred Beasts are chief among the People's protectors, and of the animal spirits of their ancestors.

Seiryu, Azure Dragon of the East

Lord of the East, of Wood, and of Spring, Seiryu rules the sea. Wrathful and tempestuous, Seiryu commands the wind and tide to the benefit of his followers. His undersea palace is resplendent with pearls, and with the bounty of ships wrecked by his fury. As a dragon, Seiryu is cousin to the elemental dragons of the south, but they remain very different, and there is little harmony between them.

Suzaku, Vermilion Bird of the South

Lady of the South, of Fire, and of Summer, Suzaku watches over her people's southern border, which is hemmed in by high mountains across which lie the lands of the followers of the Divine Court. Elegant and noble both in appearance and demeanor, Suzaku is still fierce towards foes, marshalling the burning might of the summer sun against those that incur her displeasure.

Byakko, White Tiger of the West

Lord of the West, of Metal, and of Autumn, Byakko is fierce but patient. Privy to the secret of steel and well-accustomed to the subtle rhythm of stalk-and-pounce, his fangs are the dao and jian of his followers. Byakko is warlike but cunning, and his aggression is kept in check by his caution.

Genbu, Black Turtle of the North

Lord of the North, of Water, and of Winter, Genbu is genial and pragmatic. Patron of longevity and discipline, he is renowned for his wisdom, and is fiercely protective of those under his care. Though the least aggressive of the Sacred Beasts, his enduring fortitude is the greatest.

Yellow Scholar, Master of the Center

In the dawn of the Empire, those who would not follow the new gods were led in their exodus by a wise and powerful leader, who taught them the ways of alchemy and who codified their laws and customs for their new lives in a new land. Though departed now, there are many who believe that he too was a god, the Lord of the Center, of Earth, and of the Wheel of the Seasons.